Combination dispenser allowing selective discharge therefrom by orientation



ET AL octyz, 1951 C. K. BARTON, JR., COMBINATION DISPENSER ALLOWING SELECTIVE DISCHARGE THEREFROM BY ORIENTATION Filed May 29, 1950 4 INVENTORS.

Czarfle'smarlfrzgri: By final Ykmaro ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1 951 UNITED OFFICE COMBINATION DISPENSER ALLOWING SELECTIVE DISCHARGE THEREFROM BY ORIENTATION Charles K. Barton, Jr., and Frank Tamaro, I I Paterson, N. J.

Application May 29, 1950, Serial No. 164,887

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination dispenser adapted to contain and separately discharge two materials and is particularly useful as a salt and pepper shaker.

Various dispensers have in the past been designed for the purposes of holding both salt and pepper and permitting their separate discharge at the will of the user. In general these device have either employed moving parts or complicated internal parts subject to clogging and other infirmities. In addition devices of that type have frequently presented an unpleasing outward appearance, have been difficult to fill and keep clean, and have had other objectionable features. Such objectionable features are overcome in the invention herein described.

One object of this invention is to provide in one container two different materials separated from each other each of which may be separately discharged without mixing.

Another object is to provide such a dispenser of simple economical construction without moving parts and one that is easy to clean and refill.

Still another object is to furnish a dispenser that will not clog or trap particles of material in its various passages and that may be readily used without causing an excess quantity of material to be discharged therefrom. Such dispenser will also lend itself to decorative lines and surfaces. A further advantage to be found in this invention is that the user in one direction of rotation may in two different ranges of position selectively discharge the material desired.

Other object will appear from the description which follows.

The invention is described in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a dispenser in normal standing position.

Figure 2 is a front elevational sectional view through the center of the same dispenser.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the dispenser with the incorporated shield shown in dotted outline.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the shield incorporated in the dispenser.

Referring to the drawings the dispenser consists of body I mounted on base I9 with body I divided internally into compartments 2 and 3. Access to compartment 2 for filling is provided by an opening covered by cap 4 which may be of any desired shape and held in place by frictional engagement or by being threaded to body I. Access for filling compartment 3 is provided by an opening covered by cap which may be similarly se- (Cl. ZZZ-442.4)

cured in place. Caps 4 and 5 may be made of any desired suitable material and given any outward shape to harmonize them with body I.

When the dispenser is used, say for salt and p per, salt may be placed in the larger compartment 2 and pepper in the smaller compartment 3. Perforations 1 in body I permit the contents of compartment 3 to be shaken out while perforations 6 in the base of tube 8 permit the contents of compartment 2 to be shaken out.

Tube 8 provides an opening in body I and a passageway partially through compartment 2 through which salt or other contained material may be discharged. Compartment 3 has sloping side walls 9 and vertical wall III which completely partition it from compartment 2 without connecting openings. Extending from wall III is sleeve II which surrounds the inner end of tube 8 but leaves space about it. The upper side wall of compartment 3 near perforations 'I, is partially turned back upon itself as best shown in Figure 2 so that a constricted passage I2 is formed in advance of perforations I.

Attached to tube 8 is a bent shield [3 best shown in Figures 2 and 4, and in dotted outline in Figure 3, which has a vertical portion I'I immediately adjacent and partially encircling tube 8 with a flared portion I8 at an angle thereto. Shield I3 extends the depth of compartment 2 but does not extend to the top wall thereof, thus leaving an opening I6 between its end and the top wall.

This dispenser is used as follows:

When employed as a salt and pepper shaker, salt is introduced into compartment 2 to a suitable depth. This is indicated in Figure 2 as depth I I. For thebest use of the dispenser this depth I I should keep the level of the salt, when the dispenser is in standing position, below sleeve II.

Pepper may be introduced into compartment 3 and here too it is desirable that the depth of the pepper, when the dispenser is held in filling position, be below passage I2. As illustrated the depth shown in Figure 2 is depth I5 when the dispenser is held in pepper filling position.

To use the dispenser it is picked up in one hand rotated about degrees to face the open end of tube 8 downward and when in such position it is shaken vertically salt will be thrown upward between tube 8 and sleeve I I, a portion dropping back through perforations 6 and thus out of tube 8 and the dispenser. To discharge pepper the dispenser is further rotated to about degrees from normal standing position to bring the perforations I above the area to be sprinkled with 3 pepper and the dispenser is shaken vertically to cause pepper to be discharged from compartment 3.

It will be observed that shield I3 will prevent salt from being thrown directly against tube 8 and sleeve II when pepper is being shaken from the dispenser. Similarly the arrangement by which pepper must pass through passage l2 before going through perforation will prevent pepper from being shaken out when onl the salt is discharged. It is also apparent from the description of the dispenser that certain propore tions for the sizes of the internal members, passages, and openings will give better performance than other proportions. These will be discussed in detail to indicate the preferred arrangement and dimensioning without, however, thereby limiting the scope of this invention.

The perforations 6 and l are respectively of such sizes as is customarily used to pass salt and V pepper. The space between tube 8; and sleeve H is made sufficiently wide to freely pass the grains in compartment 2, and tube 8 is extended upward within the sleeve to require an appreciable vertical shaking motion to lift the grains, if they be massed opposite the open end of the sleeve, above the inner end of tube 8. Similarly the space be tween the inner end of tube a and vertical wall I is made large enough to enable grains to freely move therein and then sift through perforations 6.

The length of sleeve H is such that it leaves a substantial clear distance between its open end and the opposite wall of compartment 2 to give access to grains to be discharged. shield is is preferably secured to tube 8 close to the open end of sleeve H otherwise it will reduce the quantity of salt, that is, the level to which salt should normally be filled, in compartment 2. Its upwardly flaring length 48 is carried to a distance that will eifectively prevent grains of material entering between tube 8 and sleeve I I when perforations T, are facing downward in pepper discharge position.

Portions I 1 and 1B of shield it when forming an angle of from 135 to 170 degrees produce the best results, in performing the function of shield l3.

Plastics or metals may be used to construct a dispenser as described and various rearrangements made of the parts illustrated. In addition the outward appearance of the dispenser may be drasticall altered and it is not intended by the description herein given of a preferred form t limit the scope of this invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a combination dispenser a hollow body; a division wall to divide the body into two compartments; an opening through the wall of the body into each compartment adapted for filling the respective compartments; a removable closure for each of such openings; perforations in the wall of the body leading to one compartment; the saiddivision wall positioned to form a constrictedpassage in such compartment in advance of such perforations; a tube in the second of such compartments opening at one end out of a wall of the body at right angles to the perforated wall and having a perforated closure; an end closed sleeve surrounding the inner end of the tube in spaced relationship to the end and side wall thereof; and a shield within such second compartment overlying in spaced relationship that half of the open end of such sleeve lying closer to the perforated body wall.

2. In a combination dispenser a hollow body; a divison wall to divide the body into two compartments; an opening through the wall of the body into each compartment adapted for filling the respective compartments; a removable closure for each of such openings; perforations in the wall of the body leading to one compartment; the said division wall positioned to form a constricted passage in such compartment in advance of such perforations; a tube in the second of such compartments opening at one end out of a wall of the body at right angles to the perforated wall and terminating at its inner end in spaced relationship with the division wall, the said inner end having a perforated closure; a sleeve secured to and closed at one end by the division wall and surrounding the inner end of the tube in spaced relationship thereto; and an inclined shield within such second compartment interposed between one half of the open end of such sleeve, and the perforated body wall and the tubeopened body wall.

3. In a combination dispenser a hollow body adapted to rest upon its bottom surface; a division wall to divide the body into two vertical compartments; an opening through the wall of the body into each compartment adapted for filling the respective compartments; a removable closure for each of such openings; perforations in the top wall of the body leading to one compartment; the said division wall positioned to form a constricted passage in such compartment in advance of such perforations; a tube'in the second of such compartments opening at one end out of a side wall of the body and terminating at its inner end in spaced relationship with the division wall, the said inner end having a perforated closure; a sleeve secured to and closed at one end by the division wall and surrounding the inner end of the tube in spaced relationship thereto; and an inclined shield within the upper portion of such second compartment interposed between the upper half of the open, end of such sleeve, and the top and tube-opened side walls of the body.,

4. In a combination dispenser a hollow body adapted to rest upon its bottom surface; a random vertical division wall to divide the body into two vertical compartments; an opening through the wall of the body into each compartment adapted I for filling the respectivecompartments; a removable closure for each of such openings; perforations in the top wall of the body leading to one compartment; the said division wall positioned to form aconstricted passage in such compartment in advance of such perforations; a tube in the second of such compartments opening at one end out of a side wall of the body and terminating at the other end in spaced relationship with the division Wall, the said tube having a perforated disc mounted therein; a sleeve secured to and closed at one end by the division wall and surrounding the inner end of the tube in spaced relationship therein; and a shield within such second compartment semi-circling the tube adjacent'the open end of the sleeve and extending from body wall to body wall upwardly from the tube and overlying the said open end of the sleeve in spaced relationship thereto.

5, In a combination salt and pepper shaker, a hollow body adapted to rest upon its bottom surface; a random vertical division wall to divide the body into two vertical compartments; an opening through the wall of the body into each compartment adapted for filling the respective compa men ith salt and pepp r; a e o able forated closure; a sleeve secured to and closed at one end by the division wall and surrounding the inner end of the tube in spaced relationship thereto; and a shield within such second compartment semi-circling the tube and extending from body wall to body wall upwardly from a i line at right angles to and through the center line of the tube adjacent the open end of the sleeve to a line short of the top wall of the body, the major portion of such shield being inclined at an angle to the center line of the tube in the direction of its closed end.

6. In a combination salt and pepper shaker, a hollow body mounted on a base; a random vertical division wall including a vertical central portion to divide the body into two vertical compartments; an opening through the wall of the body into each compartment adapted for filling the respective compartments with salt and pepper; a removable closure for each of such openings; perforations in the top wall of the body leading to one compartment; the said division wall positioned to form a constricted passage in such compartment in advance of such perforations; a tube in the second of such compartments opening at one end out of a side wall of the body and terminating at its inner end in spaced relationship with the vertical central portion of the division wall, the said inner end having a perforated closure; a sleeve secured to and closed at one end by the division wall and surrounding the inner end of the tube in spaced relationship thereto; and a shield within suchsecond compartment semi-circling the tube and extending from body wall to body wall upwardly from a line at right angles to and through the center line of the tube adjacent the open end of the sleeve to a line short of the top wall of the body, the major portion of such shield being inclined at an angle to the center line of the'tube in the direction of its closed end.

CHARLES K. BARTON, JR. FRANK TAMARO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 993,999 Huffman May 30, 1911 1,273,012 Souther July 16, 1918 1,289,440 Goldsmith Dec. 31, 1918 2366963 Goldbert Jan. 9, 1945 

